IMCA publishes offshore diving stats for 2009

The study is the first of its kind undertaken by the association with respect to three dates last year: 1 May 2009, 1 July 2009 and 1 September 2009.

‘In the past IMCA, and its predecessor AODC (the Association of Offshore Diving Contractors), has published annual diving and ROV statistics for the North Sea area (Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK), explained IMCA’s technical director Jane Bugler. ‘Although it has always been appreciated the figures only present a snapshot, they have nevertheless been highly indicative when looking at trends and other factors.

‘In 2009 it was felt that extending the statistics to cover the entire world would be a useful indicator and benchmark for trends in the offshore diving industry. The 2009 figures will become the baseline for future trends. We will no longer be collecting figures solely for the North Sea.’

IMCA received information from 35 diving contractors, which indicates that globally air diving still exceeds saturation diving, but regional trends remain as expected, with saturation diving exceeding air diving in the IMCA Europe & Africa Section (dominated by the North Sea), and the majority of air diving is being carried out in the Middle East & India Section.

The three chosen dates reflect personnel levels at the start, height and end of the North Sea season. They do not include personnel on leave, sick, or not working for any reason, and only include those actually working on the three days of the survey.

Published as an information note to IMCA members, the statistics are broken down by diving discipline (supervisors/superintendents, saturation divers, air divers, LSTs, tenders, and all other offshore support personnel) and regional section activity (Asia-Pacific; Central & South America; Europe & Africa; Middle East & India; and North America).